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Ingham County Prosecutor allegedly encouraged prostitution, paid for sex 'hundreds of times'

March 14, 2016
Deputy Amber Hinojosa,left, Attorney General Bill Schuette, and deputy Gene Wrigglesworth address the press on March 14. 2016 at the William Building on 525 W. Ottawa Street in Lansing. Schutte talked about charges for an Ingham county prosecutor.
Deputy Amber Hinojosa,left, Attorney General Bill Schuette, and deputy Gene Wrigglesworth address the press on March 14. 2016 at the William Building on 525 W. Ottawa Street in Lansing. Schutte talked about charges for an Ingham county prosecutor. —
Photo by Kelly vanFrankenhuyzen | and Kelly vanFrankenhuyzen The State News

Update 10:50 a.m.

Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings has been released from Ingham County Jail Monday night, according to jail officials. 


Following an investigation into a prostitution ring, the FBI found Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III allegedly solicited a prostitute and neglected his duties.

In a press conference in Lansing on Monday, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth addressed the charges brought forth against Dunnings.

“Human trafficking is a crime that puts people, in this case young women, into situations where their lives are endangered and where they are manipulated and brutalized,” Schuette said. “During an investigation into a suspected human trafficking ring, we discovered that one of our own was using the services of women who were being trafficked.”

Calling Dunnings' acts “disheartening” for a public official, Schuette explained that over the course of several years rumors had circulated that Dunnings was a client of a prostitution ring.

“Mr. Dunnings is being charged with 10 counts of engaging services of a prostitute, a crime that we allege he engaged in multiple times in Clinton, Ionia, and Ingham counties,” Schuette said.

The crimes are a misdemeanor and could result in 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine per count. Dunnings is also charged with four counts of neglect of duty which is a misdemeanor punishable by a year in jail and/or a $1000 fine.

Dunnings was furthered charged with a felony for enticing a woman to commit commercial sexual acts. This is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The rumors of Dunnings involvement in prostitution had been brought up to Ingham County police over the years but could never be proven said Wriggelsworth.

"Engaging in criminal behavior while serving as the Ingham County Prosecutor is a betrayal to everyone in our county that has voted for Mr. Dunnings over the last several decades,” Wriggelsworth said. “His alleged behavior is not what best represents law enforcement in Ingham County or law enforcement anywhere in Michigan.”

Schuette and Wriggelsworth also announced the creation of a hotline for victims of Mr. Dunning’s alleged acts. Victims are encouraged to call (517)-241-6556.

When asked if Dunnings should resign from his post, Schuette said yes and added he was “saddened that an elected official who holds a special trust from voters and is the chief prosecutor in our capital city would allegedly engage in conduct causing felony and misdemeanor charges to be filed.”

Dunnings will be arraigned in Lansing at 54-A District Court later on Monday.

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